Former Jayhawks Undrafted Five Forge Pro NFL Paths
Five Kansas football alums Elvis Patterson Harry Sydney Broderick Thompson Frank Wattelet and Doug Terry missed the NFL draft but built lengthy pro careers. Sydney Wattelet and Patterson joined NFL teams through free agency or camps, with Sydney earning two Super Bowl rings and later coaching. Thompson endured USFL stints before stints with Cowboys Chargers and Eagles. Terry broke in with the Chiefs as a nickel back and spent 1993 with injuries, while all five continued to contribute in professional football.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
National Football League
Kansas
Elvis Patterson
Harry Sydney
Broderick Thompson
Frank Wattelet
Doug Terry
Jayhawks
NFL
Sydney
Wattelet
David
Verser
Lester Mickens
New Orleans Saints
Saints
Cincinnati Bengals
San Francisco 49Ers
Fayetteville
N.C
Green Bay
Packers
Mike Holmgren
Patterson
Thompson
Mount Oread
Cerritos
Calif
Dallas Cowboys
USFL
New Orleans
Portland
Cowboys
San Diego Chargers
Philadelphia Eagles
New York Giants
Giants
Terry
Jayhawk
Liberal
Chiefs
1977 KU draft picks produced few NFL stars for Jayhawks
The 1977 Kansas draft yielded several players including Cromwell Beeson Laverne Smith and Waddell Smith. Cromwell became a four time Pro Bowler in the Rams secondary and KU’s all time leader in interception yardage. Beeson started 67 Seahawks games over five seasons. Laverne Smith played seven NFL games before a career ending injury. Waddell Smith found CFL success with Edmonton and briefly pursued NFL opportunities. Golub, a KU safety, died in a November 1978 car crash near Olathe after being cut by the Bears.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Waddell Smith
Jayhawks
Cromwell
Rams
Packers
Beeson
Seattle
Seahawks
Coffeyville
Laverne Smith
Baltimore Colts
Chiefs
Tony Sands
Smith
Sands
Laverne
Canada
Edmonton Eskimos
Golub
Shawnee Mission North
Chicago Bears
Bears
K-7
Olathe
Mike Butler
Green Bay Packers
Nolan Cromwell
L.A Rams
Terry Beeson
Seattle Seahawks
Pittsburgh Steelers
Skip Sharp
Philadelphia Eagles
Chris Golub
K.C. Chiefs
Butler
Isroff Delivers Big Eight Title Clincher At Oklahoma City
Kansas sophomore Isroff stayed focused during a rain delay as the deciding match against Oklahoma’s Philip Farmer. After indoor play, Isroff came back to win 7 5 in the final set, giving KU its first league title since 1988 as Vissepo and Fimbres also won singles matches and KU captured two doubles.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Michael Isroff
Isroff
Kansas
Pepper Pike
Ohio
Oklahoma
Philip Farmer
Farmer
Oklahoma City Tennis Center
Vissepo
Victor Fimbres
Koves and Weiner keep tennis dominance at Big Eight
Kansas meets Oklahoma 5-1 in the championship as Nora Koves improves to 32-3 and Mindy Weiner to 40-8. Weiner rides a 16-match win streak while Koves avenges a prior loss, and KU seals its third straight league title with wins over OU.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Kansas
Nora Koves
Mindy Weiner
Oklahoma City
Jayhawks
Oklahoma
Chuck Merzbacher
Weiner
Morton Grove
Ill
Merzbacher
Koves
Budapest
Hungary
Kansas five best NFL drafts ranked by Journal World editor
The Journal World sports editor Chuck Woodling lists Kansas football players chosen in the NFL drafts as the five top Kansas drafts. He highlights selections from 1953 1974 and 1975 plus 1971 and 1977, naming players like Nolan Cromwell John Riggins Delvin Williams and Emmett Edwards with notes on their pro careers.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Kansas
Journal-World Sports
Chuck Woodling
Also Mentioned on This Page
Houston
Tex
Los Angeles Raiders
J.P
Center
Gary Bedore
Journal-World
Nicole Kenneally
Nora
Kim Rogers
Rebecca Jensen
Abby Woods
John Riggins
New York Jets
Steve Lawson
Larry Brown
Ron Jessie
Riggins
Redskins
Brown
Steelers
Lawson
Bengals
Vikings
Jessie
Lions
Gil Reich
George Mrkonic
Oliver Spencer
Detroit Lions
Galen Fiss
Cleveland Browns
Merlin Gish
Charlie Hoag
Spencer
Fiss
Browns
Reich
Mrkonic
Eagles
Don Goode
Delvin Williams
Mitch Sutton
David Jaynes
Delario Robinson
Oaklane Raiders
Williams
San Francisco
Miami
Goode
San Diego
Jaynes
Sutton
Robinson
Raiders
Emmett Edwards
Houston Oilers
Bruce Adams
Minnesota Vikings
Robert Miller
Steve Towle
Miami Dolphins
Mike Lemon
Miller
Towle
Lemon
Tampa Bay
Edwards
Oilers
Adams
Massachusetts
Mazda Miata
Letty
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